


Fishtailing

by DoctorQui



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Legend of Zelda, Hanzo is the most regal fish prince anyone could ask for, Jesse is a small but feisty Hylian champion, M/M, but hey at least hanzo gets to talk to him sometimes, but of course hes also a huge dork, genji's dead sorry, hes also extremely thirsty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-03
Updated: 2017-04-03
Packaged: 2018-10-14 09:08:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10533315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoctorQui/pseuds/DoctorQui
Summary: Jesse has freed three Divine Beasts and finally has some free time on his hands, so what to do with it other than visit his favorite royal Zora?Overwatch Breath of the Wild AU!





	

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is dedicated to the lovely [Volka](https://volkabai.tumblr.com/), who has showered me in Zelda AU doodles that are so beautiful I've cried.

Zora’s Domain was the same as it’d always been. Shimmering silver structures glimmered iridescently in the pale moonlight of early evening, the luminous stone working its magic exactly as intended. Though the young ones had long been put to bed, the older Zoras still wandered about, chatting with each other and running errands as usual. Even the guards seemed more relaxed at this time of night, their silver tridents brushing nearby waterfalls gently as they shuffled about fin-to-fin, no doubt eager for their shifts to end. 

 

Jesse stopped midway on the Great Zora Bridge to catch his breath. The trek was long and arduous, as usual, even with the Zora armor he’d been gifted several weeks ago. He could have fast traveled using his Sheikah Slate, yes, but the exercise was good for him. The calm, clear waters of Ruto Lake were always beautiful (monster-infested though they were), and he undoubtedly needed the swimming practice. After all, he needed to be able to keep up with  _ him. _

 

Hanzo was exactly where Jesse expected, standing solemnly in front of Genji’s statue. Jesse shuddered as he approached, memories churning in the back of his mind; after his first visit, he'd always found it strange that Genji’s immortalized form held a ceremonial trident. He'd always preferred the sword, a strange weapon for a Zora but one he took to with the same fervor with which he lived the rest of his life.

 

Jesse shook his head, refocusing his attention. He hadn't come here to be nostalgic, that was just an unfortunate side effect. With a new pep in his step, he approached the statue, as well as his reason for being here--the large Zora looking up at Genji, blue scales shimmering in the evening light. Jesse took a moment to study him, eyes flitting from the yellow patterned webbing of his headfin down to the bow strapped to his back. It was another bizarre weapon for a Zora, the bow, but Jesse knew it would see no better use anywhere else, even among the acclaimed Rito archers to the west. 

 

He was so caught up in examining the beauty of the man in front of him that he barely noticed when Hanzo turned his head and found Jesse. A smirk sprang to his lips, sharp teeth shiny and white, and he turned to give his Hylian friend his full attention.

 

“Ah, I see you've returned for another visit. Did you break my brother’s sword again, Jesse?” he said, voice as smooth as the river below them.

 

Jesse nearly jumped out of his skin, surprised and more than embarrassed at having been caught staring. 

 

“N-No, not at all! It’s right here in my pack, safe n’ sound, couldn’t be in better condition,” he said quickly, patting the sack at his waist. “I came for a different reason. Think you know mighty well what that is, partner.”

 

Hanzo’s head tilted to the side. “Oh? Do I now? What might that be?”

 

“Bow practice!” Jesse’s grin could have melted a frost sword. “You told me if I got what you asked for, you’d teach me some new techniques with m’bow.”

 

“Hmm, I  _ do  _ remember that. However, that is only if you hold up your end of the--”

 

Before Hanzo could finish, Jesse produced a small canvas bag and waved it teasingly in front of him. Though Hanzo’s expressions were sometimes lost on him, this one was clearly discernable--pure surprise, mixed with what was undoubtedly excitement dancing in his eyes.

 

“How did you--?” Hanzo began, only to be cut off once more.

 

“Journeyed around the Wasteland for awhile. Gerudo Highlands got  _ tons _ of these growin’ all over the place, you know. Plus, Gabe was homesick for traditional Gerudo food, so ended up on a bit of a harvestin’ spree around there anyway. I just hope he doesn’t make Jack try any--you know how Ritos get with spices,” he said, still grinning. “These’uns are all for you though, your majesty. I am, as ever, at your service.” 

 

Jesse delicately placed the bag in Hanzo’s outstretched palm and bowed deeply, his smile growing even wider at the snort of laughter the action drew. 

 

“Are all Hylians ridiculous, or is this one of your particular skills?” Hanzo shook his head and reached forward to open the satchel. Inside were fifteen spicy peppers, all accounted for, their brilliant sunset hues contrasting starkly with the muted blue of Zora’s Domain around them. A smile blossomed across Hanzo’s face then, so soft and warm it made Jesse’s stomach feel like a hive of courser bees. “Thank you, Jesse. I do not know how I can fully show my appreciation.” He sighed in contentment, closing the bag and adding it to one of the pouches on his hip. 

 

Jesse shifted side to side, all too aware of the rising blush on his face. “Well shucks, I dunno ‘bout that. A deal’s a deal, huh? Jus’ give me those lessons like you said, and we’ll call it even.”

 

Hanzo nodded, once again the picture of a prim and proper prince. “Very well. Meet me at Dagah Keek shrine at midnight.” 

 

“You got it, handsome.”

\---

Much like Zora’s Domain, Dagah Keek shrine always shone with an otherworldly beauty. The luminous stones adorning Veiled Falls seemed to just  _ fit _ with the bright blue of the shrine, ancient Sheikah technology blending effortlessly with modern Zora architecture. 

 

Jesse scuffed a foot against the shrine and huffed, impatient. He had stripped off the Zora armor alongside his favorite red-hooded cloak in favor of simple Hylian pants and his Champion’s Tunic so as to not impede the bow. As he glanced at his Sheikah slate, however, all of his efforts seemed to be in vain; 12:30 and Hanzo was still nowhere in sight. 

 

Luckily it didn’t remain that way for long; almost as if the very thought had called upon him, Jesse looked over the crest of the hill to see Hanzo striding calmly towards him. 

 

Finally, as he came to stand over him, he spoke. “Jesse, you have my sincerest apologies. I was caught up in preparations for the upcoming ceremony honoring my brother.”

 

Jesse waved a hand, replying, “Not a problem, your highness. Though I was beginnin’ to wonder if you’d chickened out on me. Er, fished out? I’m not sure--do you Zoras even use idioms?” Though he was initially off put by Hanzo’s relaxed demeanor, Jesse could tell he was sincere in his apology. 

 

“Yes, many. Though they are different from those of Hylian origin. However, I do not believe you searched for those peppers for so long to hear me prattle on about linguistic differences.” Hanzo smirked, a knowing gleam in his eyes.

 

“You’d be right, sugar. Let’s get down to business, huh?” Jesse said, reaching behind him to pull the bow off his back. It was a Golden Bow, a gift from Sombra before he had left Gerudo Town. Jesse loved the accuracy and lightness it had, but the draw weight was a bit cumbersome on his muscles. Hopefully, Hanzo could help him shift his form to account for that. 

 

“Let us begin simply. Your target will be that tree,” Hanzo began, pointing to one of the many large pines in the area. “I will watch your form and we will adjust things from there.”

 

“Sounds like a plan. Watch closely, honey buns, I’m ‘bouta shoot the webbin’ off your gills.” He paused a moment, then added, “Not literally.” 

 

Hanzo merely chuckled as Jesse nocked an arrow, taking a deep breath to center himself. Once calm, he lifted the bow and drew the string, staring down the shaft of the arrow with intense concentration. After another moment, another breath, he let the string slip from his grasp, the arrow sticking to the tree with a satisfying  _ thwap _ in the next moment.

 

The shot hadn’t  _ felt  _ quite right, but at least it landed where it was intended to. Hanzo shot a sharp, encouraging smile Jesse’s way and the two walked over to the tree to inspect the shot. Jesse looked upon the arrow with pride, placing his hands on his hips and turning to face Hanzo, who seemed remarkably less enthused. 

 

“Pay special attention to the direction of the arrow, Jesse,” he remarked, running smooth-scaled fingers over the wooden shaft. “It is canted to the left. Your shot was fishtailing.” 

 

Jesse looked closer to see that he was right--the arrow protruded from the tree right where he had aimed, yes, but it was set at an awkward angle. He furrowed his brows, trying to piece together what the problem was.

 

“It’s your draw,” Hanzo interrupted. “I noticed you didn’t quite anchor or expand. You are not pulling the bow to your full capacity.”

 

“Alrighty, then. Let's go again.” Jesse all but stomped back to his previous spot, determination lining his shoulders. He looked down at his bow and glared as if it could understand him. Moonlight glinted back at him off of the golden riser, almost challenging in the way it shone.

 

He nocked another arrow with a huff, adjusting his hand before bringing it into position. Again, he drew the string back, carefully aiming through, though he also took care to solidly anchor against his face this time. 

 

Though this shot most definitely felt better than the last, something was still intrinsically  _ off  _ about it. Jesse frowned down at his bow once more, his mind churning to figure out what exactly the problem was. 

 

His thoughts were interrupted by a soft chuckle from behind, which soon turned into full blown laughter. 

 

“Hyperextending will not help you either, Jesse. Here, let me,” Hanzo said, shifting so that he was directly behind Jesse. “I am going to adjust your form by hand. Is this okay?”

 

Any sort of frustration Jesse had evaporated in the (way too close, holy shit) presence of Hanzo. All he could manage was a mute nod and hope that he didn’t look too much like a fool before he turned back to his bow.

 

He repeated the cycle again, though this time when Jesse reached his anchor, he felt Hanzo shift behind him. Cool, damp scales came to rest on his hand and back, lightly tugging and shifting. 

 

“There,” Hanzo whispered, “like that. Memorize this, think about how it feels.”

 

Oh, Jesse would be thinking about it alright.

 

Without another word he released the arrow, committing every sight and sound in the millisecond thereafter to memory. This time, there was no twinge of disappointment or strange tightness in Jesse’s chest--sure enough, when he looked to the tree the arrow shaft protruded from the center, straight and true. Well, perhaps not  _ quite _ the center, but close enough to where he could be proud. 

 

“Satisfactory.” Hanzo nodded, looking on towards the tree. “See how good form helps? A few more like that and I’ll even be able to teach you some more advanced tactics.” 

 

Jesse turned and raised an eyebrow, fully prepared to sass him, but stopped when he saw that Hanzo’s hand was still very much linked with his. Here he was, the champion of Hyrule, 100+ years old and training to fight an ancient monstrosity, rendered absolutely stunned by this infuriatingly handsome oversized _ fish.  _

 

At least he wasn’t alone in his embarrassment, though--after a beat of silence, Hanzo looked down to their hands and turned a shade of red that rivaled Jesse’s. He snatched his hand away quickly with a polite cough. 

 

It was going to be a long training session. 

\---

And it was, in fact, a long training session. So long that by the time Jesse looked up once more, the first rays of dawn were spilling from the peaks of the Lanayru cliffs, painting the stones and grass in pink. Hanzo noticed his fatigue and let his own bow down before suggesting what he never had before--a break. 

 

The two ended up climbing down to the water’s edge and going for a swim from there. The water was cool, but not freezing. It was relaxing really, just floating in the crystal clear waves by the shore. The position had Jesse’s mind briefly wandering back to the Shrine of Resurrection, and the water that had cradled him there for one hundred years. 

 

However, the real beauty of the water was Hanzo. He thrived here; when he swam, it was more obvious than ever that he was made to live in the water. Jesse was so utterly captivated by the way the water rippled off of Hanzo’s muscled back that he even forgot to stay afloat at one point, resulting in a very conspicuous coughing fit. 

 

By the time mid-morning was upon them, Jesse had propped himself on a rock along the shoreline with his feet left dangling in the water, while Hanzo leaned over the shore on crossed arms, bobbing rhythmically up and down with the waves. 

 

“I really cannot thank you enough for all that you’ve done, Jesse. Not only in saving our home, but for all of the kindness your heart contains,” he said, looking up with a sharp smile. “It truly is incredible.  _ You _ truly are incredible.”

 

Jesse waved a hand. “Aw quit it Han, I already told you it ain’t nothin’ worth talkin’ ‘bout. I’m just glad I can assist y’all in gettin’ things back on track. How’s the annual ceremony goin’, by the way? When I took you to see Genji he seemed mighty excited for it.”

 

“It is going extremely well. It has been many a moon, but this is the first time I am able to conduct the ceremony with his direct blessings. Though his spirit is still tethered to Vah Ruta, I feel at peace knowing Genji is with us.” Hanzo turned to look back at Zora’s Domain. Jesse couldn’t have missed the way his eyes glimmered if he tried. 

 

“That’s damn good. I knew it was a good call to take you to ‘im, even if it was a mite bit distractin’ from the mission for a few minutes,” Jesse laughed.

 

“Yes, I suppose I should not have been so rash. I was surprised though--he has not aged a single day! He even still had that ugly scarf, the one Princess Hana made all those years ago.”

 

“Yeah, she made me one too. I fed it to a bokoblin--though don’t go mentionin’ that, or my ass is grass.” Jesse scratched the back of his neck and looked around, as if Hana herself were going to burst from the water and scold him. 

 

Hanzo merely laughed. “Your secret is safe with me.”

 

Their conversation faded, replaced only by the soft sounds of the tide ebbing and flowing and the waterfowl swooping in for breakfast. It was beautiful, here, serene. Moreso than any other place he had visited throughout all of Hyrule. As peaceful as it was, however, time would not stand still here. Jesse was still a hero, still on a quest. 

 

“Much as I love this, Han, I think I gotta get goin’.” Jesse sighed, moving to stand. “It was great seein’ you though. I’ll stop by again soon, hopefully you’ll be able to give me more lessons, huh?”

 

“Hmm. I will consider it,” Hanzo said, looking up with a coy smile. 

 

Jesse huffed. “Tease.”

 

“Ah, but I do have one last gift for you, before you go.” Hanzo crooked his finger forward, indicating for Jesse to come closer. He did so, head tilted, wondering at what Hanzo could possibly have to give him.

 

Before he could so much as blink, Hanzo jumped up from the water and planted a kiss square on Jesse’s lips, short and sweet, before flipping back into the lake. When he surfaced again, he was already halfway back to Zora’s Domain, and Jesse could do nothing but hold his hand to his mouth in a daze.

 

Hanzo tasted like peppers.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so so much for reading! This was extremely fun for me to write (can you tell I'll take any excuse ever to write archery), especially since I've been thinking about this AU for weeks. Special thanks again to [Volka](https://volkabai.tumblr.com/) for gushing about it with me, you're the best <3
> 
> Another HUGE thank you to my beta [Mango](archiveofourown.org/users/MalevolentMango), light of my life and one of the best authors I've ever known. All of her work is gold, go read it if you haven't. Her edits were especially stunning on this because she isn't very familiar with Breath of the Wild, so I appreciate it <33
> 
> Other thanks go to the Shipwatch discord, y'all are wonderful as always.
> 
> Check me out on [twitter](twitter.com/tsoleille) or [tumblr](schrodingerslion.tumblr.com)! I love screaming about things I love, I'm really just a huge goober. I also have ['requests'](schrodingerslion.tumblr.com/commissions) open currently, so if that piques your interest please do stop by!
> 
> Have a wonderful day, everyone!


End file.
